Bollywood is a billion-dollar industry, and Indian content is wildly popular, both domestically and worldwide. In 2021 alone, the overseas box office collection from Indian films amounted to $77 Million.
If you love Indian dramas, movies, web series, and TV shows, you might already know that certain limitations exist for users outside the Indian subcontinent. Even with the booming OTT media industry, not all streaming apps offer the same content in every country.
You’ve probably reached this page because you are having trouble accessing your favorite Indian content or want to know how to watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK. Don’t worry. We’ve got just the hotfix for you.
We take a closer look at the best VPN services focusing on what makes them perfect for streaming Disney+ Hotstar outside India. In addition, we’ll also walk you through a quick comparison between these top VPNs, so you can pick the one that suits you best.
Why is Disney+ Hotstar Not Available in the UK?
Following suit of regional streaming services, Disney+ Hotstar is unavailable in the UK due to regional restrictions. Since it is geo-blocked in the region, you will not be able to access it together. In other words, you will be deprived of live cricket, Bollywood movies, Indian TV shows, and web series.
To enforce copyrights and royalties on the licensed content, as each country has different laws and regulations around intellectual property. Certain content streamed in India may not have been licensed to Disney+ Hotstar for streaming in other regions.
How to Watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK?
Although Disney+ Hotstar is available in the United Kingdom, you won’t be able to enjoy the same content library available in India. To bypass the regional restrictions, you need to trick the streaming service into thinking you’re connecting to Disney+ Hotstar from India, but how do you do that?
The answer is simple, all you need is a VPN service. Once the VPN assigns you an Indian IP address, the app is notified that you are using your device in India. This lifts the regional limitation and allows you to access Disney+ Hotstar in the UK.
But what should you expect? Here are just a handful of many other TV shows and movies you can watch on Disney+ Hotstar once you access it through a VPN service.
- Bigg Boss Tamil & Telugu
- Sita Ramam
- Drishyam
- Brahmastra
- Aashiqana
- Liger
- Vikram
So, what’s the takeaway here? Disney+ Hotstar lets you stream original titles you won’t find available on other streaming apps. In addition, you can also live stream cricket during IPL (Indian Premier League) season.
Now, there’s an answer for anyone wondering what’s the hype over buying premium VPN services to access Disney+ Hotstar in the UK.
Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK?
Disney+ Hotstar is known to have the most extensive Indian content library. To clarify, endless hours of entertainment.
But isn’t there already an international version of Disney+ Hotstar? Yes, there certainly is. Unfortunately, it does not let you access the entire content library that Hotstar offers to Indian users.
For unfiltered access to all the content, you need to be connected to the servers with an Indian IP address. Although some browsers and proxies allow you to mask your IP address, they just don’t cut it. This is where a VPN comes in to save the day.
Before you go ahead and download just any VPN, you can get your hands on it, and it is you need to understand that not all VPNs will get the job done. You need a VPN service that is fast, reliable, and secure that can stealthily get past Disney+ Hotstar.
3 Best VPN Services to Watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK
Recently, most VPN services had to remove their Indian servers due to government requirements to store the users’ data. This accounts for working VPNs that comply with the law.
While there isn’t a shortage of VPNs that let you connect to Indian servers and access Disney+ Hotstar in the UK, they aren’t built the same. Some might get detected by the servers after a few attempts, while others offer a slow connection. However, the worst could be a VPN sneaking malware into your device and causing more damage than good.
We’ve handpicked VPNs that keep your browsing experience anonymous, deliver high-speed connectivity, and offer server connections in India. Moreover, our picks use virtual servers instead of physical servers in India, putting them in compliance with government policy.
1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN to Watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK
You may already be familiar with ExpressVPN, and it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that it is synonymous with VPNs. Offering lightning-fast speeds with little-to-no buffer or lag, you can connect anytime for a smooth streaming experience.
Even the best VPN services may exhibit some downtime in some instances since several users simultaneously connect to the virtual server. Luckily, ExpressVPN has well over 3,000 servers, with 2 dedicated virtual servers for India.
Thanks to these dedicated Indian servers, lagging or slow connectivity will be rare when streaming your favorite shows from Disney+ Hostar on ExpressVPN.
Pros
- Ultra-fast speed servers,
- Unlimited bandwidth,
- 3 Virtual servers in India,
- Media Streamer feature,
- 24/7 live chat support.
Cons
- A slightly more expensive VPN in our recommendations
- Only 5 simultaneous connections.
2. NordVPN – Popular Disney+ Hotstar VPN in the UK
Another old-timer of the VPN business, NordVPN is revered for satisfying speeds with no buffering or lag. Those are decent features to have in a VPN when you want to bypass the Disney+ Hotstar geo-restriction in the UK.
What makes NordVPN wildly popular is the value for money that you get. It’s not just the competitive pricing but the presence of 5000+ servers. At first glance, it appears that compared to ExpressVPN, NordVPN would offer more speed and better connectivity since it has almost double the number of servers.
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case as of now, as NordVPN does not offer any servers in India. This came into effect due to the change in Indian laws, which puts it under ExpressVPN on the list.
NordVPN does bring cross-compatibility across Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and even VPN routers, making it perfect for streaming content unrestricted on all devices.
Pros
- Kill switch protection
- 6 simultaneous connections
- 5357 virtual servers
- 24/7 live chat support
- Users can pay via crypto as well as cash
- More affordable than ExpressVPN
Cons
- Slower in comparison to ExpressVPN
- Only specific servers support torrenting
- Not user-friendly OpenVPN configuration
- Indian servers’ shut down as of June 26, 2022
3. CyberGhost – User-Friendly VPN for Disney+ Hotstar in the UK
CyberGhost VPN keeps things simple with an incredibly user-friendly interface, which users have loved and adored over the years. It is also easily the best VPN to watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK, thanks to 9000+ servers across 91 nations.
CyberGhost VPN also had several dedicated servers within India until the amendment in privacy laws forced those servers to shut down. However, the company has circumvented this issue by offering 29 virtual servers, all of which are located in Mumbai.
Pros
- 7 simultaneous connections
- Comes with a free browser extension
- 24/7 live chat support
- Multi-platform support
- Most competitive pricing plans
- 9000 virtual servers
- 29 Ultra-fast 10GBps virtual Indian servers with anonymous access
Cons
- Payment options are limited
- Distanced servers offer slower speeds
Hotstar the UK VPN Comparison: ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost
Now that you are familiar with ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost, it’s time to get down with a direct comparison. Before you go ahead and pick up a plan, we’d recommend you take a close look at the comparison.
Being aware of how many virtual servers are available, what speed is offered, and what are the pricing plans is essential.
Moreover, if you have an unsatisfactory experience, will the VPN service offer you a refund? With these pointers in mind, the table below shows a fair comparison between the three.
| VPN Service | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | CyberGhost |
| Company Location | British Virgin Islands | Panama | Bucharest |
| Torrenting | Yes | Specific servers | Yes |
| VPN Servers | 3000+ | 5357 | 9000 |
| Server Locations | 94 | 59 | 91 |
| Max Connections | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Logs | No | No | No |
| Chat Support | Offered | Offered | Offered |
| Money Back | 30 Days | 30 Days | 45 Days |
| Pricing (Monthly) | £ 6.81 | £ 2.45 | £ 1.66 |
How Much Will It Cost to Watch Disney Plus Hotstar in the UK?
If you want to enjoy India-exclusive Disney+ Hotstar TV shows and movies in the UK, you will have to spend not just on the streaming service but the VPN subscription too. Disney+ Hotstar offers two monthly subscription plans. The first is “Super” and the second is “Premium”.
On the other hand, you can also buy the Premium plan every month, but it is, in no way, cost-effective.
Two main factors distinguish Super from Premium. To clarify, you have to pay £5.95 extra to get rid of ads and watch at 4K (2160p) video quality. The table below shows a detailed comparison of Disney+ Hotstar plans.
| What do You get? | Super (Yearly) | Premium (Yearly) | Premium (Monthly) |
| All Content | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Watch on Laptop or TV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ads-Free Movies and Shows (sports excluded) | ✘ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Devices | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Max Video Quality | Full HD (1080p) | 4K (2160p) | 4K (2160p) |
| Max Audio Quality | Dolby 5.1 | Dolby 5.1 | Dolby 5.1 |
| Pricing (INR) | 899 | 1,499 | 299 |
| Pricing (GBP) | 8.91 | 14.86 | 2.96 |
Now that you know how much the Disney+ Hotstar India subscription would cost you, it’s time to factor in the VPN subscription too. So, let’s break down the cost for you to watch Disney Plus Hotstar in the UK.
| Subscription Plans | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | CyberGhost VPN |
| 1 Month | £10.60 / Month | £9.82 / Month | £12.64 / Month |
| 6 Months | £8.18 / Month | £6.81 / Month | £5.72 / Month |
| 1 Year | £6.81 / Month | £3.68 / Month | ✘ |
| 2 Years | ✘ | £2.45 / Month | £1.66 / Month |
That’s it, the most accurate pricing comparison you can find anywhere online. Whichever VPN you pick, just add the monthly price of Disney+ Hotstar along with it, and you’ll know exactly how much it will cost you to watch the streaming service in the UK.
For instance, you want to buy CyberGhost VPN 2 years plan at £1.66 / month and Disney+ Hotstar Premium at £14.86 / month. That will total up to £16.52 / month if you want to figure out how to watch Hotstar in the UK with CyberGhost VPN.
How to Get a Discount on Disney+ Hotstar in the UK?
While the pricing of a Disney+ Hotstar subscription rarely changes, you can control your cost based on the VPN you use.
To clarify, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN offer discounts on various occasions. For instance, ExpressVPN can go as high as 49% off, NordVPN up to 68%, and CyberGhost goes as far as 84% with extra months included.
Check out the current discount Prices here:
The Verdict
If you want to watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK, you’ll have trouble accessing the India-exclusive content library due to geo-restrictions. To get past this content barrier, all you need is a dedicated VPN service.
Understanding that the VPN you purchase complies with the updated policies and laws is the only way to get an Indian IP address. Sadly, all major VPN service providers had to exit India, as the new regulations went against the “no-log” policy that every renowned VPN offers.
Out of the three VPNs we have reviewed – ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN, the last one is your best shot. Based on the facts and numbers, it’s pretty clear that CyberGhost VPN offers the best value and has 2 ultra-fast servers virtually located in Singapore and the UK. These perks quickly make it the #1 VPN to watch Disney+ Hotstar in the UK.
